Easter cross
The Feast of the Resurrection of Our Lord
The practice of sunrise service (Matins) commemorates the journey that the women made to the tomb on Easter morning only to find the tomb empty and Jesus risen.
The Easter Eucharist is the heart of all joy for the Christian! Here in this liturgy we truly know ourselves to be a participant in the worship of heaven itself. There is no confession and absolution at this service, for all of Lent was our confession and the day of Easter is itself the Absolution of God upon the sins of the world. Paul expresses this in:
Alleluia is the overwhelming shout of joy in this liturgy. It rings out again and again as we welcome into our midst the One who has overcome sin and destroyed death.
This site established In the Reign of Our Lord - April 2005, St. Paul Lutheran Church, Hamel, Illinois.
Understanding Holy Week and Its Services
Passion Sunday (Palm Sunday)
The Palm Sunday procession began a long, long time ago. The children and the people welcomed Jesus into Jerusalem that day, knowing that He had shown himself victor over death by raising Lazarus from his four-day’s tomb. “You see we are accomplishing nothing!” shouted the Pharisees: “The whole world has gone after him!” And so it has! As we wave our palms and sing to the King who comes in God’s name to bring us blessing, we cry out to him: “Save now!” (which is what Hosanna literally means). We hear how that cry was answered in the reading of the Passion – a solemn reminder that Jesus our King enters the holy city as sacrifice, to die for the sins of the world. At the Table of the Lord this same King is welcomed into our lives, and we still sing there (every week!) “Hosanna!”
Maundy Thursday
Maundy comes from the Latin “mandatum,” mandate or commandment. Two commands of Jesus were given on this night, and this service commemorates them both.
After the giving of the Supper, Jesus went to the Garden to pray, and then he was arrested. According to ancient tradition, this section of the Tridium (Three-Day) liturgy ends with the stripping of the altar – symbol and sign of Jesus being stripped of every friendship and compassion as he enters into suffering.
Good Friday
From the most ancient times this day has been observed as a strict fast. Christians are encouraged on this day to eat nothing at all in honor of the great sufferings that Jesus himself endured for us during its hours.
Many Churches observe the three hour vigil from noon to three, in memory of the time Jesus spent on the cross. This is the time of our Chief Service – beginning at noon.
The most ancient custom is that the Sacrament of the Altar is not celebrated on this day. The liturgy for this day is at its simplest, starkest and barest. The people gather in silence, a prayer is offered, scripture is read (always the Passion of St. John), a brief homily is often given, and then the people join in the ancient “Bidding Prayer” – so called because it has the deacon call out the “bids” (Let us pray for…) followed by silent prayer by the people, and then the pastor speaks a concluding collect. The Church this day in this prayer brings to the throne of grace her concern and love for all peoples.
Vespers on Good Friday is the Tenebrae, the service of darkness. As psalms are prayed, readings are meditated upon, hymns are sung, and prayers are offered, the candles upon the altar are snuffed out, one by one: the Light of the world dying before our very eyes. In the total darkness, as the final light is extinguished, we hear the loud sound symbolic of the earthquake, and the choir sings a final piece in honor of our Lord’s sacrifice. We leave in the same silence in which we entered, and the service goes on...
Great Vigil of Pascha
As on Good Friday we walked into the growing darkness. The service of the Great Vigil walks in the opposite direction: light coming back into the world, the Light of Jesus’ resurrection.
This is one of the oldest services of the Church, and has newly been restored to Lutheranism with the publication of Lutheran Book of Worship and Lutheran Worship Agenda. It has four parts: an opening section of praise, a section of readings that recount the history of salvation, a renewal of our baptism vows (and confirmation of adult members), and the Holy Eucharist. It was on this night that many of the Adult converts to the faith were first welcomed to Baptism and the whole Church rejoiced with them and remembered that by Baptism all of us have been joined to Jesus’ death and resurrection. Thus water is sprinkled on the people in reminder of how God first adopted us as His children and brought us to hope again. For the Easter/Baptism connection especially:
With the Easter Gospel ringing in our ears, we go out to await the light of dawn and the overwhelming joy of the Easter Eucharist.
